"The rantings of a madman..." (December 6, 1997)

"After spending two hours in a mind numbing business meeting, my brain has been turned into some porridge like substance. But in my present state of mind, I was able to come up with some interesting ideas. So this article may be a little incoherent but bare with me. Just a note, Tubthumping by Chumbwumba is a very lame song and I hope that it does not become a "Jock Rock" song or a song that is played at every sporting event, especially NBA games.I was listening to the radio this morning on the way to work and I heard that Popeye Jones, of the Raptors, got injured and is out for the season. I am sure glad the Raptors signed Tim Kempton. I mean, Kempton is a real banger down low and a real low post presence. He can light it up, as long as he has a flashlight. Of course, the Raptors cut Ed Stokes to make room for Kempton, but the injury to Jones might just be a blessing for the departed Stokes. Who would you rather have, Stokes, Kempton or Jones? I know, you are thinking, for what? I think Kempton is the best bench weight. But since the NBA plays their games indoors, there is no threat of the wind knocking over the bench, unless Chuck Barkley opens his mouth. On the other hand, the bench really are a collection of chairs, no maybe Kempton has no benefit except a) keeping the Raptors white guy quota up b) keeping his own chair stuck to the ground. Stokes is well, Stokes. I do not know what he does, except maybe being friends with Damon Stoudamire. But since Damon is playing like crap of late, and probably will not sign with the Raptors at the end of the year since Isiah Thomas left down to be a TV personality, Damon does not carry too much weight with the club. But Popeye Jones really could play. He is a great rebounder and interior defense and is the only Raptors player who weighed more than 240 pounds. He could throw his weight his around, pound down low and score a bit. He played center a lot since the Raptors have no real center, except Zan Tabak, like I said, no real center. Did anyone actually rate Zan Tabak higher than 130 in their On Hoops Fantasy League ratings? The Raptors have really had a run of bad luck. Sharone Wright is out until March. Carlos Rogers, with his huge mass and bulk and his pipe cleaner arms is still injured but attempting to play. Walt Williams and Tracy McGrady is out as well. Earl Cureton is the Raptors radio announcer, maybe he would come back. John Long where have you gone? I wonder why the Raptors do not go to a three guard line up more often? Doug Christie is used to playing some three. He used to play some small forward with the Lakers in the post Worthy years and Knicks as a backup to Chuck Smith. Darrell Walker could play Christie at three with Damon and Shawn Respert at guards. Respert is a one and a half, not a true point and too small to play off guard, but when you need players, you do what you can. Play him at two with Damon at point and alternate who is off guard, so Damon can move without the ball occasionally. Then move Wallace up a spot to power forward. He would give bigger men fits with his athleticism and ball handling. He could take the big men outside. Then you play Marcus Camby at center. He is too fast for most non-Texas centers (I should rephrase, I guess. Hakeem Olajuwon is out. Shawn Bradley is not exactly fleet a foot. Basically, I mean Tim Duncan and David Robinson). He is too fast for non-San Antonio centers. This would make the Raptors at least more fun to watch and cause some matchup problems, not dissimilar to Phoenix, but they would have trouble defensively. But at with one win, why not try it. Just scramble around, double team like fiends, and keep up the pressure defense to cause turnovers. This should compensate. Actually, I am thinking quite clearly now. This does not sound too unreasonable.On a different topic, I was watching Fresno State a few days ago. Whoever said Jerry Tarkanian can not coach, must have been on crack. He really can coach. And he gets great talent. Sure it is messed up talent, some head cases, but he gets talented athletes. Fresno State is a dark horse to make it to the final four. With all their transfers (either from other schools or Juco) and the new frosh, they really can play. He should re-invigorate Avondre Jones, formerly of USC. If anyone remembers, four years ago, there were a bunch of big men who entered college and it was the best crop of freshmen big men in years. Jones was one of them. He was big bust at USC. When George Raveling left SC, he went into the tank. I guess Henry Bibby could not motivate him, or maybe Jones does suck. But when I watched him recently, he looked like a different man. Sure Tark likes the middle sized pressure defense and guys who can shoot, but he did coach Armon Gilliam, George Ackles, Elmore Spencer and David Butler, who both were great college players. The latter three kind of sucked in the NBA, but they were good college players. Of course, he did coach Larry Johnson. LJ was a beast in the low post in college. Tark does a good job preparing players for the pros. Greg Anthony, Stacey Augmon, the aforementioned and others, all made it to the NBA. Tark does know coaching and does attract talent, there is no question. Anyway, the freshman class of 1993 (I think) included Jones, Tim Duncan, Marcus Camby, Rasheed Wallace, Joe Smith, Lee Wilson, Rashard Griffith and Darnell Robinson. Now we know about Duncan, Camby, Wallace and Smith. Lee Wilson, from Arkansas, was drafted this year. I do not know by who though. I would not be surprised if it was by Dallas. Rashard Griffith was a center on Wisconsin with Michael Finley. Griffith was huge, 6 foot 11 and 270 pounds. He could play. But I guess with Finley, there is a lot more room, because Finley could really light it up. When he declared after his sophomore year he was tabbed to be a mid 1st round pick to go to Phoenix, but his stock fell in the camps and workouts. He is now playing in Turkey, I believe. He was drafted by Milwaukee. Maybe he will come back one day. Maybe he just did not want to play in Wisconsin again. Darnell Robinson, from Arkansas as well, was drafted by Dallas last year. I have no idea where he went. Wilson and Robinson were a weak version of the Twin Towers. With them on the court, Arkansas was slowed down to a continental drift. No 40 minutes of hell for Nolan Richardson. Wow, that was really off topic.Did anyone notice that Elden Campbell was not starting before Shaq got injured? Seven million dollars a season, a plethora of low post moves, a shot blocker and a good defensive player and he is on the bench? What up with dat? Robert Horry starts? Rick Fox at three? Ok, I think Fox is better than Horry so I can understand that, but Horry is not better than Campbell. Horry should come off the bench.How about Scottie Pippen. Will he be traded? I think Chicago should trade Pippen to the Sacramento Kings for Mitch Richmond. Make it like the Kemp-Baker-Brandon/Hill trade. Disgruntled player for disgruntled player. Besides, Pippen would hate it and Jerry and Jerry would have their last laugh. How about trading Pippen to Golden State for Latrell Spreewell. First, Pippen probably would not attack P.J. Carlissemo. Second, Phil Jackson is much larger and more imposing (and used to be an enforcer for the Knicks) so he would kick the ass of Spree if he got out of line. Maybe trade Pippen for Joe Smith instead. Repeat verse, same as the first, except no punching. Forgive my ignorance, I always thought the best thing Pippen could do is come back, play hard, win another championship and then walk away, thereby screwing the Bulls, the two Jerrys and making them look like fools. This would alienate the fans and would make vengeance more sweet for Pippen. No Pippen, no Jordan, no Rodman, no Jackson, no title. It seems that with Pippen acting like a spoiled child, it just makes him seem like another spoiled rich athlete. Remember, he did sign a long term deal in 1991 because he wanted security, this is before all the titles and before he became a superstar. NBA rules prohibit ripping up a contract and renegotiation. At least Grant Hill, who is vastly underpaid by present standards, is being a real man and is not complaining about his current financial situation. Did you hear that Shawn Kemp?Ok, that is it. I am very tired now. And now Sammy Hagar is on the radio, so now as well as tired, I am getting a head ache. I can not believe this guy has a solo career. He really can not write a song. At least none of his songs will end up on "Jock Rock" or at an NBA game.